Box framer or former.



AUGUST LAS-ANCE, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

BOX FRANIER OR FORMER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 18, 1906.

`Application filed September 18, 1905. Sera-1 NO- 279,030.

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUsr LAsANcE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Box Framers or Formers, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of my specification. Y

My invention relates to a machine for forming or framing boxes made of wood, the ends of the boards having been provided with mortises and tenons, so that the sides may be interlocked with each other, the object of the invention being to provide a device ormachine whereby the parts composing the sides of a box and which have been thus previously provided with mortises and tenons may be taken by an operator and set between guides with which the machine is provided in such position so that when the machine is operated the tenons on the one board may register with and enter into the mortises on the adjacent board. When the boards have been so placed between the guides by the operator, the machine is Set in operation by a lever and power applied to one of the plates with its guides, and thereby bringing the plate into closer relation with the other plate, forcing the tenons of the one board into the mortises of the other, and thus locking the sides of a box in place, the machine being so constructed as to permit of adjustment for boxes of various sizes, as will more fully hereinafter appear.

In the drawings, which illustrate a poweroperated machine, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the machine when at rest. Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 4. -Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3 3' of Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1.

Like letters of reference indicate identical parts in the respective figures.

A represents the uprights or frame of the machine, which is preferably rectangular in shape, and these uprights may be either made integral on one side and properly bolted or connected up to the standard or upright on the opposite side or they may be made in any other convenient manner which will give sufficient Strength and at the same time be as light as possible to decrease its and is also provided with the beveled gear E. (See Figs. 3 and 4.) The beveled gear E meshes with the circular gear F, mounted on the shaft a, (see Fig. 4,) which shafthas its bearing in the housing b, secured to a crosspiece of the frame or standard A. This shaft a has secured at its free end a crank G, whose opposite end is mounted on a shaft c, which terminates in a cam H. The shaft c hasits bearing in the casing or housing d. (See Fig. 4.) The ends of the crank G are united in the usual way by the crank-pin e, (see Figs. 2 and 4,) which pintakes through the slotted or boxed end of the arm J. The construction of the slotted or boxed end of the arm J can more clearly be seen in Fig. 2, wherein it shows the crank-pin e as having more or less lateral play. The arm J is bolted to a pin f, which pin also forms the pivotal connection for the toggle levers or arms g h.

g and 71, are arms forming a toggle-lever similar to g and h, just described, and are connected to the toggle g h by the bars L L. These bars L L are secured to the pin 'and of course are connected to the central pivotal connection for the arms g h', which pivotal connection or pin is shown at l. (See Figs. 2 and 4.) The lower links h h are pivotally connected to lugs-on the cross-bar L/l of the machine, while the arms g g are pivotally connected to the bed-plate K. The bedplate K is provided with guideways m m', which are adapted to slide transversely of the bed-plate K, and their position is controlled by the right and left screw-rod M, which is operated by the hand-wheel M. (See Fig. 2.) The reason for making the guides m m adjustable is that they may be set for the size of box it is intended to frame, and these guides are preferably constructed, as shown .in Fig. 2, with the upwardly-extending flange at right angles to the base portion thereof, so as to provide a rest for the board forming a side, which board is placed on the horizontal portion of the guides and reaches from one guide to the other, while the boards going to form'the two sides at right angles to the first IDO mentioned are set on end on top of the firstmentioned board and rest against the upwardly-extending flange of the guide.

Corresponding with the guides m m and made identically like them are guides n n', which are preferably secured overhead to the top plate N, and these guides are also adjustably connected by a right and left threaded screw-rod N, which is operated by the handwheel N. The screw-rod of course has its bearings in the frame of the machine, besides taking through the upwardly extending flange of the guides. These guides receive the upper ends of the two side boards and also receive the board which is intended to form the fourth side, this board being placed on top of the ends of the boards extending upwardly. The top plate N, with the guides n n, is also made adjustable vertically, which is accomplished by having the (plate provided at its corners with collars which take about threaded sleeves on the threaded rods or posts P, which posts have bearing in the frame A of the machine and are held in place against vertical dis lacement by the nuts p. Secured to each of t e sleeves on the posts, of which there are four, one at each corner of the machine, is a sprocket-wheel Q, which bears on the collars O of the top plate N. The sprocket-wheels Q are preferably made integral with the sleeves taking through collars O. The collars O of the top plate are held on the sleeves by a nut or collar C.

R is a sprocket-chain which takes about the sprockets Q. One of the sprockets has integrally connected therewith the handwheel Q', (see Fig. 1,) so that when the handwheel Q is turned its sprocket-wheel will be turned, and the sprocket-chain R will turn the remaining three sprockets with theif sleeves on the other rods or posts. It is thus seen that when the sprocket-wheels Q are turned their respective sleeves will also be turned and compelled to ride up or down on the posts, depending upon the direction in which the hand-wheel Q is turned. In this way the top plate N will be brought nearer to or farther from the bottom plate K, depending upon the direction in which the sleeves ride on the rods P. The purpose of having the plate adjustable in this manner is to provide for boxes of different sizes in addition to the adjustment for boxes of a different Width laterally, which is accomplished by having the threaded rods M and N take through the extensions of the guides m m and n n, as before described.

S is an arm or lever which is provided with. a link or roller at`its free end, as at s, which is held into the groove or notch of the cam H by the action of the spring T. (See Fig. l.)

The lever or arm S is pivotally connected to a shaft t, (see Fig. 1,) on which shaft and at its opposite end is also mounted a link t, which is pivotally connected to another link t,

which link t controls the clutch u. (See Figs. 1 and 2.) Connected with the lever or arm S is the rod U, to which is connected the foot-treadle V. It will be seen that when the treadle or foot-lever V is drawn down it will draw with it the lever S, which will rock the shaft t and with it the links t t, which will throw the clutch u into mesh with the pulley D, and will thus revolve the shaft C, which in turn, by reason of gearing E F, will revolve the cam H through the medium of the crank G, which cam will reciprocate the arm J and either distend or contract the toggle-levers g h g h, and thus move the bottom plate K upward or downward, as the case may be. At the same time that treadle V is depressed the roller or pin s will be drawn away from the cam H to permit its o eration and that of its shaft and the crank The bed-plate K will move upward until the pin .or roller s, which rides on the circumference of the cam H, will have again entered the notch in the circumference of the cam, when the plate K will move downward, following the action of the arm J.

lt will be seen that when it is desired to form a box the various sides or parts going to form the sides, and whichhave been previously dovetailed, as specified, are taken, placing the one on the guides of the bottom plate K and then setting the two upwardlyextending boards in proper position to permit the tenons to mesh with the mortises of the bottom board, and, lastly, placing the fourth board on top .of the upwardly-extending boards with the mortises registering with the tenons of the two upwardly-exten d- `ing boards, (it being understood, of course,

that the guides have been adjusted to fit the size of the boards or box it is intended to make,) and then by placing the foot on the foot-lever V long enough to disengage roller or pin s from cam H and throw the clutch in mesh, so that the power will be conveyed to the drive-shaft C, the bottom plate K will be forced upwardly by reason of the gearing and toggle joints or links, as previously described, forcing the tenons of the one board into the mortises of the adjacent board.

The threaded rods or posts P are shown as retained in place by the nuts p from any downward movement, and they also take through the top of the frame of the machine, as shown in Fig. 2, having a portion beneath the top of the machine without threads, while their extreme lower ends are preferably threaded and take through a cross-piece L of the frame of the machine, where they are provided with nuts on both sides of the crosspiece L, so that the strain against top plate N is applied through the posts to the crossbar L of the frame.

Of course it will be readily understood that a number of slight modifications may be made in the construction of this machine,

IOO

IIO

and I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the construction shown and described; but

Vhat I claim, and wish to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A boX-framer comprising two sets of guides, each presenting a vertical and horizontal face, one set arranged above the other, means whereby the guides of each set may be adjusted laterally, mechanism having con-y nection with one set of said guides whereby the latter may be vertically adjusted, a power-shaft, and a driven shaft, means intermediate of said shafts whereby power is communicated from one to the other, and means intermediate of the driven shaft and one set of said guides whereby the latter is reciprocated when the shaft is operated.

2. A box-framer comprising a pair of horizontal plates, a pair of guides adjustably mounted on each of said plates, said plates being arranged one above the other, the guides on each plate arranged to present horizontal and vertical faces, mechanism connected with the guides whereby they may be adjusted laterally, means whereby the vertical relation of said plates may be altered, a power-shaft and a driven shaft, means intermediate of the shafts whereby power is communicated from one to the other, and means intermediate of the driven shaft and one of said plates whereby the latter with its guides may be reciprocated vertically when the shaft is operated.

3. A boX-framer comprising two sets of longitudinal guides having vertical and horizontal faces, the one set arranged above the other, means whereby the guides of each set may be adjusted laterally, mechanism for vertically adjusting one set of said guides, toggle-levers pivotally secured to the frame of the machine, and the other set of said guides, a power-shaft and a driven shaft, means intermediate of said shafts for communicating power from one to the other, and mechanism intermediate of said driven shaft and the toggle-levers whereby the latter are operated and the one set of guides vertically reciprocated.

4. A boX-framer comprising a pair of horizontal plates, the one above the other, each plate provided with a set of guides adapted to be adjusted laterally thereon, and presenting both horizontal and vertical faces, means whereby one of said plates may be adjusted vertically, toggle-levers intermediate of the other one of said plates and the frame of the machine, a driven shaft, mechanism intermediate of said driven shaft and the toggle-levers, a power-shaft, means intermediate of the power-shaft and the driven shaft whereby the latter is operated, and mechanism for throwing said toggle-levers into operative position for a predetermined perio 5. In a box framer or former, the combination of a pair of horizontal plates, arranged one above the other, each of said plates provided with a set of guides presenting both horizontal and vertical faces, means whereby the guides on each plate may be adjusted laterally, mechanism whereby one of said plates may be vertically adjusted, toggleevers pivotally connected to one of said plates and the frame of the machine, an arm connected with said levers, a driven shaft, mechanism intermediate of said shaft and said arm whereby upon the operation of said arm the toggle-levers are operated and the plate reciprocated, with means for controlling the action of the driven shaft.

6. A box framer or former comprising a pair of horizontal plates arranged one above the other, one of said plates adapted to reciprocate vertically, means for vertically adjusting the other plate, a set of guides adjustably mounted on each of said plates and presenting horizontal and vertical faces, mechanism whereby the guides of each set may be simultaneously adjusted, togglelevers intermediate of one of said plates and the frame of the machine, a crank having operative connection with said levers', a driven shaft, gearing intermediate of said crank and the driven shaft, and mechanism whereby power may be communicated to the driven shaft from a terriined intervals an the toggle-levers operate 7. A boX framer or former comprising a pair of horizontal plates arranged one above the other, one of said plates adapted to recipprocate vertically, and the other adapted to be adjusted vertically, a set of longitudinal guides mounted on each of said plates, and presenting vertical and horizontal faces, means whereby the guides of each set may be simultaneously adjusted laterally, a pair of togglelevers intermediate of one of said plates and the frame of the machine, a driven shaft, an arm, mechanism intermediate of said shaft and arm, said arm having operative connection with the toggle-lever, clutch mechanism intermediate of said driven shaft and a power-shaft, and means having operative connection with said clutch mechanism,

whereby, upon its operation, the driven shaft is revolved and the toggle-levers operated, and one of said plates vertically reciprocated.

AUGUST LAs'ANcE,

lVitnesses LOUIS GOTT, GEORGE HEIDMAN.

ower-shaft at prede- IIO 

